Who We Support: Grantees
The Donnell-Kay Foundation supports non-profit organizations in early childhood and public education that encourage the development of children who are ready to succeed in school. The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. The Foundation does accept concept papers that address statewide educational policy issues.
Examples of organizations (and their missions) we support include:
A+ Denver:
The mission of A+ Denver is to harness the power of Denver's civic leadership to build public will and advocate for reforms necessary to dramatically increase student achievement in public education in Denver.
Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB):
Advancing excellence in public education through effective leadership by locally elected school boards.
Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE):
Supporting the Colorado Superintendent Study and the Accountability Project, led by CASE.
Colorado Children's Campaign:
Since 1985, the Colorado Children's Campaign has worked to mobilize individuals and organizations to think and act on behalf of children, with particular attention to the health, education and safety of children most at risk.
Colorado Succeeds:
A non-profit, non-partisan, coalition of business leaders committed to education excellence and preparing every child to succeed in a competitive international environment.
Denver Public Schools:
The mission of DPS is to provide all students the opportunity to achieve the knowledge and skills necessary to become contributing citizens in our diverse society.
In addition to district support, Donnell-Kay also provided support for the Pay For Performance Pilot Project which led to the district-wide ratification of a new salary system that will pay teachers for improving student achievement, as well as other accomplishments that closely align their work with DPS instructional goals and priorities.
Get Smart Schools:
Get Smart Schools is a group of educators, leaders, entrepreneurs and school officials who are working collaboratively for the good of Colorado kids. Their goal is to dramatically increase the number of new, public, high quality autonomous schools serving low-income students in the front range.
Metropolitan Organizations of People (MOP):
MOP trains volunteer community leaders to re-weave the web of relationships in community so that they can effectively work together across race, class and language barriers to rediscover a common good leading to a higher quality of life for our families, children and neighbors.
Padres Unidos:
With roots in the struggle for educational justice, Padres has evolved into a multi-issue organization that is led by people of color who fight for educational equity, student rights and justice for immigrants.
Public Education and Business Coalition (PEBC):
In addition to supporting the website www.EdNewsColorado.org, hosted by PEBC, Donnell-Kay also supports the organization's Facing History Project, a nationally acclaimed program that trains public school teachers in the "Facing History and Ourselves" curriculum and supports schools to engage youth in civic action projects through a Leadership mini-grant program.
Stand For Children:
Stand for Children is a citizen voice for children whose mission is to use the power of grassroots action to help all children get the excellent public education and strong support they need to thrive. Colorado is Stand for Children's newest state affiliate. About a quarter of ColoradoÕs high school students do not graduate on time, and high school graduation rates for students of color are significantly lower. We're building our affiliate in Colorado in order to improve these results by supporting key education reforms at the local and statewide levels.
Teach for America in Denver :
Colorado is playing a critical role in improving schools and communities. This year, a corps of 260 of the nation’s top recent college graduates is working in underserved schools across Colorado to ensure that students facing the challenges of poverty are given the educational opportunities they deserve
Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education:
WICHE and its 15 member states work to improve access to higher education and ensure student success. Their student exchange programs, regional initiatives, and their research and policy work allow them to assist students, policymakers, educators, and institutional, business and community leaders throughout the West and beyond.